Title:Association between Serum Vitamin D Level and Echocardiographic Abnormalities in Patients with Thalassemia Major
VOLUME: 20 ISSUE: 3
Author(s):Mehdi Pishgahi, Mahtab Niroomand, Rama Bozorgmehr, Shirin Ghane-Fard, Farideh Mousavi*, Mohammadreza Tabary and Isa Khaheshi
Affiliation:Department of Cardiology, Shohadaye Tajrish Hospital, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Division of Endocrinology, Department of Internal Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Department of Internal Medicine, Shohadaye Tajrish Hospital, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Department of Pediatrics, Shohadaye Tajrish Hospital, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Department of Pediatrics, Shohadaye Tajrish Hospital, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Department of Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Cardiovascular Research Center, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran
Keywords:Echocardiography, thalassemia major, vitamin D deficiency, heart failure, cardiomyopathy, cardiovascular disease.
Abstract:
Objectives: Thalassemia major (TM) is one of the most common blood disorders with a
high mortality rate due to cardiovascular disease. Vitamin D deficiency has been suggested to
implicate in cardiac abnormalities. In this prospective study, we aimed to investigate the
relationship between serum levels of vitamin D and tissue Doppler (TD) echocardiographic indices
in thalassemia major patients.
Methods: A total of 81 TM patients, including 56 females and 25 males, with a mean age of 27.5±
6.8 years, were enrolled consecutively. Serum levels of vitamin D and other biomedical parameters
were measured. Then, all patients were subjected to TD echocardiography. Correlations between
the serum parameters and systolic and diastolic indices were examined.
Results: The serum level of vitamin D was correlated with systolic and diastolic indices such as the
EF (r= 0.33, P= 0.003) and TD Imaging (TDI)-lateral (r= 0.31, P= 0.005). However, no correlations
were observed between vitamin D deficiency and the LV septal and posterior wall thickness, TDIseptal,
tricuspid regurgitation peak gradient (TRPG), pulmonary artery systolic pressure (PASP),
deceleration time (DT), and propagation velocity (PVcm/s) indices. The results revealed also no
linear correlations between serum vitamin D and albumin (r= -0.17, P= 0.06), ALP (r= -0.12, P=
0.14), T4 (r= -0.11, P= 0.16), as well as TSH (r= -0.10, P= 0.19).
Conclusion: It seems that vitamin D deficiency in patients with TM is associated with systolic but
not diastolic dysfunctions, possibly as consequences of related biochemical abnormalities.
